USDA Latest

WASHINGTON, April 15, 2022 – President Biden and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service today announced investment of more than $238 million to support public schools, roads, and other municipal services through the Secure Rural Schools Program, which will deliver payments to 742 eligible counties in 41 states and Puerto Rico. The program was reauthorized for fiscal years 2021 through 2023 by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

WASHINGTON, April 14, 2022 – Today, in support of Executive Order 13985 Advancing Racial Equity and Support to Underserved Communities, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) made its Equity Action Plan (PDF, 500 KB) publicly available.

WASHINGTON, April 14, 2022 – Overview

WASHINGTON, April 13, 2022 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the establishment of a program under President Biden’s American Rescue Plan to expand rural hospitals and providers’ access to COVID-19 vaccines, testing, and supplies, while helping rural health care providers stay financially solvent in the long-term.

WASHINGTON, April 12, 2022 — On Tuesday, April 12, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced steps the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is taking to implement President Biden’s plan to enable energy independence by boosting homegrown biofuels.

LYONS, Colo., April 11, 2022 – As part of the Biden-Harris Administrations Rural Infrastructure Tour, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced $131 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law investments to begin work on the USDA Forest Service’s 10-year wildfire strategy: Confronting the Wildfire Crisis: A Strategy for Protecting Communities and Improving Resilience in America’s Forests.

WASHINGTON, April 9, 2022 - Yesterday, after experiencing mild symptoms, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack tested positive for COVID. He is fully vaccinated and boosted. He is sharing the news of his positive COVID test out of an abundance of transparency.

WASHINGTON, April 8, 2022 — Today, the Departments of Agriculture and the Interior announced their proposed Fiscal Year 2023 allocations of $2.8 billion in projects, grants and programs authorized in the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) to support local economies, outdoor recreation, access to public lands and voluntary national conservation efforts in every U.S. state.

WASHINGTON, April 7, 2022 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced it will establish a Rural Community Economic Development (RCED) Subcommittee as part of the recently launched Equity Commission. Nominations and applications for membership to the RCED Subcommittee are due on May 6.